


Carry Your Brand

by SykoShadowRose



Series: Soul Brands [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Getting Together, Happy Ending, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:31:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25470166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SykoShadowRose/pseuds/SykoShadowRose
Summary: How James, Taiyang and Clover all gained their soulmarks while trying to help Qrow. Companion to Brand My Soul.
Relationships: Clover Ebi/James Ironwood, Clover Ebi/Taiyang Xiao Long, James Ironwood/Taiyang Xiao Long, Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi, Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi/James Ironwood/Taiyang Xiao Long, Qrow Branwen/James Ironwood, Qrow Branwen/Taiyang Xiao Long
Series: Soul Brands [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1868920
Comments: 28
Kudos: 99





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Shimmer712](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shimmer712/gifts), [StoryWeaverKirea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/StoryWeaverKirea/gifts).



> I decided to do a second one of this series since i was thinking about it anyways and I had two loyal reader request it. I may end up adding more eventually from the other characters but... ::: shrugs :::

Growing up, James wasn’t sure what to think of his soulmarks. Most people only had one, maybe two. He had four. His grandparents and mother (strict traditionalists and elitists) frowned whenever the subject came up and taught him to keep them covered. (The more he had the more likely it was that they would be from a lower class.) It was his father that helped him read the different words hidden under his skin. That encouraged him to be accepting of his soulmates despite the way most Atlesians sneered at the number he had when they learned of them. It was his father that taught him to look forward to meeting the four of them. Even the one on his arm that was insulting him. After all, he didn’t know the circumstances that brought out the words, they could be joking with him for all he knew. 

_“You’ve lost your goddamn mind Jimmy.”_

James hadn’t ever really been fond of the nickname Jimmy (probably due to his mother and her parents disliking it) and most Atlesians were too proper to use it. Some of his friends used Jim but it wasn’t often. He wondered if it was just that soulmate he allowed to use it or if they used it regardless of what he told them. Did they get along with each other or was it a push-pull relationship? (He couldn’t tell if it was a playful jab or a serious one. Writing did not offer much in the way of tone.) The handwriting was small and neat but scrunched up, as if the writer was trying to take up as little space as possible. (He wondered if that was because they came from a place where paper was scarce or if they were naturally inclined to try to go unnoticed.)

Most of the marks were on his left side: his wrist, outer shoulder and back of his ribs. There was only one on the right, on the back and outside of his hip. Flowing, elegant script that was neither too small or too large. 

_“We should throw a party!”_

He found it morbidly interesting that it was his right side he lost in the accident, and even that didn’t stop the ice that pierced his mind when his “party” soulmate died. He no longer had the flesh where the words had been but that didn’t stop the feeling of losing the words to death. He wondered if the words were on his right because he’d been destined to lose them like he’d lost half his body. It was the words on his wrist, slanted just a bit, he took the most comfort in during those dark days.

_“You’re twice the man they think you are, not half, for all that you’ve survived.”_

He read and re-read the faint words over and over while confined to his bed at the start of his recovery, holding onto the solid belief that they truly believed what they were saying. The rehab for learning his prosthetics was a hell on it’s own that made him think of the large looping writing on the back of his ribs. 

_“If you need anything, just ask.”_

He wondered if his soulmate would be one of the people helping him recover. That thought was one of the driving reasons he went through the physical therapy and rehab even when he felt like it was a waste of time. He tried not to feel disappointed when he finished the rehab without feeling fire burn the words into his skin. He’d just have to be patient.

~

Clover was raised in Argus where triads of soulmates were fairly common (maybe due to it being a port city) so having four soulmates, while rare, didn’t draw too much attention. The attention it did get wasn’t always pleasant though. He relied on the words hidden on the outside of his right ribs, _“Your accomplishments are your own ability, not your semblance’s. Be proud of them.”_ , and the center of his back, _“Don’t worry, I got your back!”_ , when people got too cruel. When they told him that anything he did, he only managed because of his good luck. When they tried to tell him that his soulmates only wanted him for his semblance. 

He kept them to himself when he attended Atlas Academy as it had become fairly obvious quite quickly that the number of soulmates he had was considered “inappropriate” for an individual. (As if anyone could control how many soulmarks they had when they were born with the words hidden under their skin.) Clover didn’t even tell his team how many he had, allowing them to come to their own conclusions by refusing to really get involved whenever the subject was brought up. They assumed he either had lost his soulmate or was somehow one of the few people to be born without a soulmark. (It was better to let them think so as two of them were “elite” and firmly believed that you should only have one soulmate or you were little better than a harlot.)

The day that ice froze the center of his chest was a nightmare he’ll never forget. He’d been out with a group of friends at the Argos docks, visiting from Atlas, when suddenly he couldn’t breathe and everything felt numb, his limbs suddenly frozen. He had fallen from the railing he was balanced on, knocking several of his friends into the water with him, grasping at the fading words that had once waited to be summoned. 

_“You have one job, don’t mess it up!” ___

It was only thanks to his friends (the ones he’d knocked into the water with him) that he didn’t drown from the sensation. As it was they had started to panic when they realized he was struggling to breathe. When the ice finally thawed enough to allow his lungs to work again, Clover just barely refrained from breaking into tears. It had taken several moments for him to convey what had happened, what he’d lost, to his friends. The group had immediately taken it upon themselves to see him safely home and up to his room while a couple of them explained what had transpired to his family.

The brunette had been despondent for several days after, resting a hand on his ribs or as far over his shoulder as he could reach on his back, as if he were trying to hold on to the two marks there. He curled around the hidden words around his right calf, idly considering that the words almost could have come from his now dead soulmate from beyond the grave.

_“Be happy with what you have Clove. Don’t ruin it because of me.”_

He knew it wasn’t but he held to them anyways, eventually getting through the mourning of a soulmate he’d never get to know. By the time he had to return to Atlas, he’d found enough peace that he could pretend everything was fine enough that no one questioned him about the little shifts in his behaviour.

Later, after he’d come to terms with the loss, after he’d healed, Clover couldn’t help but give more consideration to the words on his leg. The brunette wondered what made his soulmate think so little of themselves, what made them think they could possibly ruin his life by being in it. He resolved to prove how important they were once he met them until they realized that they were loved by him (and hopefully by his other soulmates). He could only hope that fate allowed him the chance to do so. 

Clover began his “quest” to boost his soulmate’s self-esteem by practicing on his teammates, telling them whenever they did something exceptionally well and going out of his way to let them know when he appreciated something they did. Hopefully, by the time he was branded he would be able to help them understand how much they meant to him.

It was this developed habit that eventually led to him branding his General when he'd offered the man verbal support during a time he was under heavy criticism after Beacon's fall, though he'd been unaware of it at the time. It wasn't until months later, after he'd returned from a bad mission that left him doubting his abilities that he'd been marked. His visible reaction to the brand on his side prompted the reveal of his own emblem and words on the taller man's wrist. A small part of him was pleased to learn that his decision to show other’s their own worth had helped not just the soulmate on his leg but the one he’d found as well. 

~

Tai had been excited to start at Beacon, knowing that the chances of him finding even one of his four soulmates would be higher when he started to travel. Being an orphan raised only by his mother’s ailing best friend (he still called her mom, she had earned the title), he’d thrived on the knowledge that there were four people waiting for him to find and mark them. That he would have a chance to build a family. (A big one filled with strong fighters that couldn’t be taken away from him like his parents and siblings had been taken from him by the Grimm.)

To say that his first mark was a surprise would have been an understatement. He and Summer had been dancing around each other and Raven for years when she’d suddenly branded him with her emblem shortly after their graduation. It had been during a mission the four had taken together and he’d pulled a risky (admittedly stupid) move to kill four Grimm at once when they’d tried to get past him to the village they were protecting.

_“You’re such an idiot! Why do I love you!?”_

It was the first time she’d admitted to loving him and they hadn’t even been officially dating. They had gotten together shortly after that and he had branded her upper stomach a month later after he’d gotten into another prank war with Qrow and ended up tangled in a rope, hanging upside down from a tree. (He still wasn’t sure how the scythe wielder had managed that trick. He never managed to get revenge either since Summer had called an end to their war.) 

_“I’m always going to be your idiot, so you may as well get used to it now.”_

Being their first brands gained, they were excited to find the other three soulmates they had. They had compared soulmarks early on and determined to the best of their ability that the writing was the same between them, so they had the same three soulmates. The writing on the back of his right shoulder, _“What do you need me to do?”_ , matched what was on her left leg just above her knee, _“As long as you are in my care, I will provide any help I can give.”_

The writing on her lower back, _“I’m at your service, milady.”_ was the same as what was hidden on the back of his neck, _“Whatever I can do to help, I will.”_

He’d found Summer sitting on the bed with a couple pieces of paper one morning, trying to compare the writing on them to what was on her left inner thigh (and his lower abdomen). 

_“You’ll be better off if I’m not there to ruin things.”_

( _“You can’t mean that Tai. Not about me.”_ )

It took him a moment to recognize the papers as notes from Raven and Qrow. (The twins had similar handwriting on purpose so they could switch papers without the Professors knowing back at Beacon. There were small differences if you knew where to look though.) They were leaning towards Raven because she seemed to be interested in dating them but the self-deprecating words they had hidden on them _felt_ more like Qrow. (He wondered what it was that made Qrow hate himself so much. It couldn’t just be his semblance.)

Later, after Yang was born and Raven had abandoned them, he found himself waiting for Qrow to summon the words to the surface, to brand them with his black wing-eye emblem. It made it all the more painful when the ice froze Summer’s words and symbol from his arm. The spot felt painfully empty without her brand, so he covered it with a tattoo of his own emblem. (He couldn’t bring himself to tattoo her’s as many did when a soulmate died, it would have been too painful a reminder of what he’d lost.) And still Qrow’s mark stayed hidden (and he was certain it was Qrow’s by now). 

Waiting was difficult and painful, but he had no other choice. So he waited with all the patience he could summon as Qrow finally left his teaching position and went back to taking missions, still coming by to keep up with Ruby’s training but worrying each time about the danger he was heading into. The other was skilled, he’d come back to them. Tai had to believe that he would always come back. Tai bit his tongue as the drinking started and steadily got worse, still hoping for Qrow’s brand to mark his skin. (Maybe once it did Qrow would accept the help he so obviously needed.) He waited until the world started to fall apart and he was left behind, keeping their home safe so that there would be a home to return to. Until an airship landed with a message about his family and an offer for a ride to join them. 

~

The first time James met Qrow he had almost lost his temper to the point of defenestration. It didn’t help that the smaller man kept using various nicknames for him instead of his proper name no matter how many times he insisted on being called James. What stopped him from actually throwing the other through the window, what made him stop and look more closely at the drunken spy-hunter was a line that was thrown at him just before Glynda and Ozpin pulled them apart.

_“You’re as stuck up as your name sounds **Jimmy**. Learn to loosen up a bit!”_

It wasn’t the first time someone had called him Jimmy but something about it coming from Qrow resonated differently. Made him acutely aware of the words and empty space on his shoulder. He found himself seeking the slender man out, even if they frequently bickered, sometimes playfully sometimes not. As years passed and his shoulder remained unmarked, James began to wonder if he was wrong. Still he waited, drawn to Qrow despite disapproving of certain behaviors. He hoped that he could help the other man if (when) they marked each other. 

James wasn’t ready to admit to anyone, even himself, that one of the reasons he tended to argue with Qrow’s plans was because they usually left the smaller raven fighting on his own (for reasons he understood but didn’t agree with). Their reunion at Beacon had left him torn, happy to see him alive and safe but tense because he had the deep seated sense that something awful was going to occur at the Festival. Later, after Qrow had taken both his nieces home, he’d sit on a transport back to Atlas, desperately wishing he’d been wrong.

~

The thing that Clover hadn’t been able to understand when he first met Qrow Branwen, was how the man acted. He’d heard stories of course (unfavorable ones from Winter) about the legendary hunter and in all of them he was described as confident and brash. Unapologetic and blunt with an “in your face” kind of attitude. So the quiet, self-deprecating fighter that tried his best to go unnoticed that he was walking beside in the mine was so far from what he expected, he’d been uncertain how he should interact with him. Especially after learning the other man’s semblance. It isn’t until he got to talk with James (he still smiled whenever he remembered them branding each other) after the mission that he began to understand why Qrow was so different from what he’d been told.

The man had stopped drinking. 

Learning that he’d been a high functioning alcoholic certainly explained the shift in his behaviour (and why Winter had such distaste for him) though it didn’t explain why he was so cruel to himself. He resolved to help the man and got the chance to start not long after when they were sent on a supply run, though Qrow had misunderstood him at first. He’d managed to clear it up quickly, thankfully, but it let him know a bit more about the older man’s thought process. By the time they had completed the mission, Clover had silently declared it a life goal to make the man accept a compliment without hesitation. It would be easier to do if it didn’t seem like the other was trying not to spend time with anyone who wasn’t one of the teenagers he’d come to Atlas with but he wasn’t about to give up just because Qrow was making things difficult. Challenges were what made life worth living after all. (Along with several other things but the point was the same.)

~

James would admit to only two people that he had hoped bringing Taiyang to Atlas would help Qrow as much as the children. They had been teammates back at Beacon Academy, partners even, if James was remembering correctly. He’d hoped that having such a long time and close friend nearby would make it easier for Qrow to deal with his alcohol cravings. That having the blond around would give him someone he trusted that he could turn to when he needed it. That maybe it would help enforce their instance that he didn’t have to do everything alone, they were there to help him when he needed it.

Instead, from what he’d been told, the lithe hunter had swiftly left the training room during Clover and Tai’s match and hadn’t reacted at all when the two had tried to call his name and ask what was wrong. They were all sitting in his quarters trying to guess at the possible problem when James received a message from the hunter in question. A short (uncharacteristically misspelled) message telling him that Qrow wasn’t feeling well. (For all Qrow’s rough behavior the man had been a teacher once and he took his spelling and grammar rather seriously as a result.) 

“James?” Clover’s teal eyes searched his face in concern when he set the scroll down.

“From Qrow. He said he isn’t feeling well and will be staying in his room tomorrow.”

While he was worried that his sudden sickness may be related to his withdrawal, James was just a little bit skeptical about it given the timing. Though he supposed that could just be his mind second guessing everything. Something had triggered Qrow’s flight instinct in the training room. It made sense that if he was suffering from a craving, he wouldn’t want to be around anyone. Let alone Clover, who had never known him as a drunkard, or Tai, who had seen way too much of his drunkenness as it was. He wouldn’t want to be a burden to either of them and would have viewed his struggle as something he shouldn’t put on others. 

“Is there anything we can do to help? I could cook something for him…” Tai sat forward on the couch, frowning lightly. He loved Qrow, branded or not, and the idea of him suffering alone had never sat well with him. The fact that he was in pain because he’d done something to better himself was rubbing salt in the wound. 

“I don’t think he’d appreciate the attention right now considering the way he ran out on us in the training room. Maybe if this lasts for longer than a day, then we can invade his quarters.”

After listening to the two younger men go back and forth a bit, James promised to talk to the smaller raven after giving him a day to recover. In response, both men made plans to talk to Dr. Polendina about alcohol withdrawal and what they could do to help if it was the problem. The next day when the children heard what the two men were doing, they took it upon themselves to do their own research into the matter so they could help as well. Though there were a few shared looks that made the three adults think the teens knew something they weren’t sharing… 

James made the decision to call Qrow to his home rather than his office, hoping (once again) that maybe the less formal setting would get the man to relax and open up about what was wrong. The soft red eyes were strained, skin far too pale and shadows under his eyes standing out more than James would like. He was up and alert though, so James counted that as a positive. Given the suppressed interest the former spy showed, he was willing to bet that if he left the other alone, nothing would be left to question. He’d snoop through everything just because he was curious and he could look. James filed that concern away for another day. For now he sat down and tried to get Qrow to realize just how important his health and wellbeing was to the rest of them.

Unfortunately something had changed Qrow from the open curiosity he’d entered with to a closed off, dodgy look before James had even started speaking. (He wondered if Qrow realized his hands were shaking slightly as he held onto his cup.) Still, he tried, almost sighing aloud when Qrow confirmed that he still viewed himself as a burden. Something inside the General snapped and he found himself raising his voice, as he so often did when he was trying to convince Qrow he was right about something. Grabbing the other when he tried to leave may have been a mistake but he didn’t have long to regret it because he _**finally**_ felt fire burn his shoulder as the man twisted away, shooting a last verbal snipe back at him. _“You’ve lost your goddamn mind Jimmy.”_ The shock was enough that the bird was able to slip from his grasp and disappear before he recovered enough to do something about it. 

James was still a bit disoriented from receiving the mark he’d been waiting over a decade for when Clover and Taiyang came by to see how things had gone later that night. Both were awed at the mark, though for Tai it seemed bittersweet. James wondered just how long the blond had been waiting for the bird’s brand to mark him but didn’t dare to ask. After some debating they decided to allow Qrow some space before letting Tai try to talk to him.

He got the second shock of the day when the brawler had turned to him before he left. _“If you need anything, just ask.”_ He started to leave the room then, calling back over his shoulder. “If anyone knows how hard he is to handle it’s me.”

Thankfully, Clover had planned on staying a bit longer and had noticed James grasp at his ribs, deep blue eyes wide on the retreating back. The brunette recognized the location as one of his soulmarks and had immediately leapt up to chase the older man down and drag him back. The rest of the night was a bit of a blur while the three of them talked and got to know each other better, making plans for the four of them once they got Qrow out of hiding. Tai smirked when James made a comment about getting a bigger bed. Clover muffled a laugh as the tallest gave him an admonishing look to quell any comments before they could be said aloud. The smirk only turned into a grin at the look, not discouraged in the least.

It was three days later, three long days of radio silence, when Tai had decided that his patience was up and he was going to talk to Qrow one way or the other, that James had marked him with his own offering. _“What do you need me to do?”_ The blond had worn a pleased smile when he flashed the emblem on his shoulder to the two of them before giving them instructions on how to help (keep an eye out to make sure Qrow didn’t try flying away to escape) and stormed off to either coax or force Qrow out of his rooms.

~

By the time Tai had reached Qrow’s door, his mood had dropped a bit. They had waited three damned days for Qrow to get his head clear and they hadn’t heard a word from the man. Not a call or a message. No answer to any call or message sent to him. Just dead silence and the blond knew enough of the smaller raven’s mindset to be worried (and afraid) of the implications behind that silence. (He didn’t want to believe Qrow would commit suicide but it was always a possibility with everything he was going through.) 

While he’d been prepared for Qrow to try running from him, the passive-aggressive method he used was new. It didn’t deter Tai but it did make him pause to consider what other things could have changed when he stopped drinking. Once he thought he’d mentally prepared for anything his old school partner could throw his way, Tai initiated the conversation. Not that it got him far. Talking to Qrow was like trying to talk to a wall. Even worse than when he’d first met the former tribesman. At least back then Qrow would actually _look_ at him to gage his reactions. By the time the other finally turned to face him and he got a proper look at his friend, Tai felt like he’d taken a punch to the gut. 

Qrow’s skin was sickly pale, worse than what James had described, and the shadows he’d mentioned had darkened to look like bruises from his lack of sleep. What concerned the blond most was the gauntness that was beginning to show in his face. A familiar sign that Tai had come to know over the years, signalling that Qrow was not eating properly. He took a moment to compose himself when he realized how bad his friend had gotten, acknowledging that he was part of the problem to himself before saying it out loud. Maybe if he’d tried to keep better tabs on Qrow when he’d gone on missions in the past, instead of having blind faith he’d come back, the scythe wielder would understand how worried they’d been the last few days. (How worried he’d been for years.)

The brawler had reached out, needing the contact to feel that Qrow was at least alive and solid. At least the younger hunter had agreed to send out a message but Tai hadn’t liked that he was so dismissive of it’s importance. The result of him trying to press the importance into Qrow, of taking the responsibility he held for not being there in the past, allowed Qrow to run off while he dealt with the burn he’d been waiting most of his life for. _“You can’t mean that Tai. Not about me.”_

Later, after the shock had worn off and the reality of the situation settled into his brain, Tai would berate himself for freezing up and letting Qrow get away again. When he went back to tell James and Clover of what had transpired, the two of them would do their best to reassure him that it wasn’t his fault (James had reacted the same way and Tai hadn’t blamed him after all) but still the guilt remained. It was Clover’s attempt to ease the last of it away that called his last brand to it’s place on his neck. _“Whatever I can do to help, I will.”_ Teal eyes had been wide as they stared at the emblem emerging on his skin, resulting in the three of them taking a moment to let everything settle so they could decide what to do about Qrow’s avoidance of them. 

It was during the following discussion on how to proceed, where Tai wanted to try going to Qrow’s room again and James offered to just use his security override to open the door, that Clover convinced the two to try waiting a bit longer. James had shared Qrow’s unique gift with him when he’d partnered them for missions. He used that knowledge to talk the two of them down, pointing out that if they pushed too hard Qrow may fly away from Atlas where they couldn’t follow. It was better, safer, to let him keep his room as a haven to hide in. Qrow would leave his quarters eventually. They just had to wait a little longer and then Clover would try talking to him. 

~

Clover was grateful to Penny for her help. While the three of them had waited for Qrow to come out and rejoin the rest of the world, Clover had asked the mechanical huntress to keep tabs on the mission board (as well as the security cameras near his quarters) and let him know if Qrow accepted anything (or left his “nest”). A simple patrol mission hardly needed both of them but he missed going on missions with the bird. Since he didn’t want to run Qrow off, he decided to make small talk. Though it was mostly one-sided, even more so that usual. He might have mistaken Qrow for a mute if he hadn’t known better for all the input the older huntsman put into the conversation. 

He tried to ignore how the carmine eyes looked everywhere but at him while he shared a story about the kids starting a prank war. The brunette had tried to subtly press the worry the kids shared for the raven while he told him of the events that had occured. Clover wasn’t sure he’d succeeded for that part but he counted it as a win when he caught a glimpse of a smile. It was small but it was there and he’d take what he could get at that moment. Then it was time to work and he had little time to devote to chipping away at the wall Qrow had built around himself. 

There was an unusually high number of Grimm for the part of the wall they were patrolling. Clover tried to make light of it but he was fairly certain by the hitched shoulders that Qrow was blaming himself for it. The worst part was that Clover couldn’t actually argue with it. Negative emotion drew the creatures in and his companion was clearly radiating them. So instead, he tried to distract the other by suggesting they eat before returning to Atlas. It was on the way back to the transport that Clover decided to be upfront with what he wanted to say and he gently took the other’s arm to turn him so they could talk face to face. 

It hurt him, like an icicle piercing his heart, to hear the other beg him not to. Clover wasn’t sure what he was being asked not to do but he took in the sallow pallor, the sharp definition of his bones that hadn’t been so visible before, the exhaustion clearly visible not only by the deep shadows under his eyes but in the way he stood. Most of all, beyond the haggard appearance, Clover took in the anguished eyes that were afraid to be hurt again. Those eyes are what made the Captain move closer, made him reach out to Qrow’s other arm, trying to offer some kind of comfort. To try to give some kind of relief from the suffering. Instead, Qrow closed his eyes and tipped his head down. Hiding as best he could while Clover held onto him.

The slightly wavering breath told Clover that Qrow was on the verge of breaking to pieces right in front of him. The taller man tried to calm him, to reassure him that he was a vital part of their lives but Qrow refused to be convinced. It was while he was reaching out again that he felt the burn on his leg. _“Be happy with what you have Clove. Don’t ruin it because of me.”_ Maybe it was because he hadn’t known Qrow as long as the others, hadn’t been waiting for him specifically to say the words, that was the reason he didn’t freeze up like his other two soulmates. That fact didn’t stop Qrow from escaping but he still felt a little rush at having his soulmark, leaving just one still hidden. Telling the other two when he got back was going to be an event. He was sure of it. 


	2. Chapter 2

When Penny had notified them to convey that Qrow had left his room and his scroll signal, when it reappeared, was at Amity, the three gathered a small group and made an impromptu supply run. Clover had been missing his usual mission partner on the way there, thinking of all the Grimm they might have to fight at the site, when Tai had placed a hand between his shoulder blades with a friendly smile. _“Don’t worry, I got your back!”_ For a brief moment it felt like fire radiated from the blond’s touch. He’d doesn’t remember the surprised sound he made but from the look the brawler gave him, Tai had figured out what had just happened. The trilled little grin he got was beautiful in it’s own right but the two of them kept the new brand to themselves for the moment. They’d tell James privately once they reached Amity. 

He patrolled the area around the tower with the brunette, leaving James to run a quick diagnostic check while they sought Grimm or Qrow. The blond man gave his eldest daughter a suspicious look when she wandered off with her sister and partner. She was carrying a bag that she didn’t normally have and the three of them had been quick to volunteer to check the entrance for Grimm and then the west side of the arena for Qrow while the two of them checked the rear tunnels and the east side. He knew her well enough to tell when she was up to something but for now he let it rest. He’d deal with it if whatever she did caused trouble for the group. 

The eight of them gathered in the main area, all reporting no sign of Qrow as expected (the man had been Ozpin’s best spy, he wouldn’t be easily found unless he wanted to be) and moved on to the second part of the plan. A message from Penny alerting them that it was time for the first half of the group to return. Tai’s pale blue eyes narrowed as Weiss tipped her head at her team and got a solemn nod from Blake, a thumbs up from Ruby, and a smug look from Yang before the four of them disappeared into the truck. The bag that Yang had been carrying was suspiciously absent. 

The men made a final half-hearted attempt to find Qrow before settling into what had once been a lounge for the competing teams. It was no surprise when there continued to be no sighting of the lithe hunter, though there were, curiously, signs that he’d been in one of the locker rooms. The unplanned trip to Amity had been more to gain some true privacy for the four of them to talk things out if they could draw Qrow out of hiding. They had no way of knowing whether or not they had branded Qrow without asking him but they all carried his brand. The general hope among them was that the corvid would stop running from them once they showed him their soulmarks. 

Of course, so far Qrow (being the contrary bastard that he was without even trying) hadn’t done anything they had been hoping he would do so…

Once they had settled in for the night, (the storm would last into the next morning from the reports) Clover removed his uniform top long enough for James to take a picture (and for Tai to admire his handiwork). Clover shivered as the blond trailed the tips of his fingertips lightly over his brand. By the time the brunette had finished redressing he turned to find James frowning with concern at their soulmate. The brawler was seated on one of the couches, staring down at his clasped hands dangling between his knees. Sharing a glance with James, the youngest man sat carefully next to Tai and placed a hand lightly on his shoulder. "Tai? Is everything alright?"

Taiyang gave a small, sad smile. "Your words to her were 'I'm at your service, milady'. She'd been excited to see what prompted it." He sighed, lifting his hands to rub them over his face. "She would have been able to talk sense into him. She usually could..."

Clover felt his lungs freeze, just like they had so many years ago, the echo of pain still in his chest. He barely caught the movement of James grasping his right hip, apparently coming to the same realization as Clover.

Taiyang had known their lost soulmate.

Fighting to breathe, Clover swallowed down his first reaction, which was to ask as many questions as he could think of. Tai was struggling enough as it was. He didn't need that kind of pressure put on him now. Instead he decided to share something else. To turn the delicate topic another direction. "Her words to me were that I had one job and not to mess it up." He got a weak chuckle from the blond and James finally came over to join them.

"She told me that we should throw a party." The tall raven placed a hand on Tai's other shoulder, offering a comforting smile when pale blue eyes turned to him. "Perhaps once we manage to settle Qrow down, we should follow that order."

"She would want that." Tai gave them a real smile, pausing to search both their faces for something. They weren't sure what he found but he seemed to come to a decision about it. Sitting back he took a deep breath, let it out slowly and began to talk. "Summer marked me first, just after a mission where I had done something stupid..."

~

James gently helped the exhausted blond into the truck, settling him against Clover's side to rest. Taiyang had spent hours telling them about Summer Rose and how she had been looking forward to finding them. The man had cried several times but there seemed to be a weight that lifted from his shoulders the longer he talked. James was relieved to see the shadows that had haunted his eyes finally lessened as he started to fall asleep against the Captain. He hauled himself up into the driver's seat, thinking of everything they had learned. He and Clover had held back on most of their questions, allowing Tai the space to release everything he'd apparently been holding inside. Maybe, once this mess with Qrow was sorted out, they could ask the two more questions about the soulmate they never got to meet. With no others on the path, James let his mind wander while he drove back.

Had Qrow known that Summer was his soulmate? Was that why he was running from them now? Because he blamed himself, his semblance, for her death? If that was the case then they needed to find out and quickly so they could address the issue before it drove Qrow to do something they couldn’t fix. The slender hunter couldn’t be allowed to continue blaming himself for things beyond his control anymore. They had to get him to accept that sometimes bad things happened in the world. The woes of all of Remnant were not his to shoulder. Honestly, James felt that this should have been dealt with _years_ ago, but Qrow was rarely in one place long enough for anyone to even try. Not to mention the underlying anger at everything, especially himself, that he seemed to have lost at some point before reaching Atlas. James wasn’t sure if the depressed resignation that he carried was any better though. He almost missed the constant fights, if only because Qrow had felt more lively then… 

The trip back was uneventful, with James and Clover deep in their own thoughts and Tai sleeping off the exhaustion that came with talking so much about Summer. 

Team RWBY was waiting to greet them when they returned, curiosity and hope radiating from the four until they realized Qrow was not with them. The girls seemed unusually put out that he was still absent but it made sense for at least two of them. Ruby and Yang had learned from their father years ago, when they had asked about the words hidden on their skin, that he was waiting for their uncle to mark him. Of course the two young women would be frustrated that he was still waiting for Qrow now that he had been branded. There was a bit of grumbling and idle threats as they went inside directed towards the absent man but they seemed satisfied about _something_ when they were told about Amity.

The seven of them gathered together at James’ apartment for an early dinner that involved a story about Robyn coming to talk to James and branding Winter in the process. It was during the retelling of an argument about who’s side their third soulmate would choose that their scrolls pinged with an alert that Qrow’s signal was back at the base. The girls scrambled to shove them out the door, with hurried promises of cleaning up so that they would go find the raven. 

Actually finding Qrow was a bit of a problem though. They agreed to start at his rooms and work their way around from there. There seemed to be something of a commotion in the hall as they made their way to Qrow’s which worried them until the apparent commotion ran right in front of them. 

The beautiful, but hardly concealing, lace accentuated the yellow brand on Qrow’s hip more than disguise it and when the man spun around to look at something behind him, the bright green on his ankle was a beacon on it’s own. It was as he was turning back around to continue his way to his room that the light’s reflection on the shimmering shirt allowed the three to see the bold blue on his chest. For a few moments they were stunned. How long had Qrow been carrying their brand? What were the words they’d burned on his skin?

Tai pulled out his scroll as they hurried after the raven, hoping against all odds that he would answer so that they could talk him into letting them in peacefully. A huff of pure frustration left him as he snapped it shut when Qrow declined the call after two rings. Clover drew in a deep breath, not looking optimistic in the least as he pulled out his own scroll to try. The brunette shook his head at the other two while putting his scroll away. Tai and Clover were both a bit confused when James didn’t even try to call. Instead the tall man made his way to the door and used his override to open the door like he had offered to back before Tai had talked to Qrow. Clover sighed quietly to himself as they entered. He hadn’t wanted them to have to use it so Qrow would feel safe in his room but… The man hadn’t given them any other choice. 

The brunette wondered what was going on when both his older soulmates stalled just inside the door. One glance at Qrow answered everything. The shorter man looked so much like he had the day he had branded Clover. Devastation and heartbreak, on the verge of shattering into shards so small they could never be made whole again. It hurt almost as much as loosing Summer's mark had to see him hiding from him, fearing them, when he had no reason to. Determination hardened his resolve and Clover decided that talking wasn't going to accomplish anything this time. He brushed past the other two, bending down to yank up his pant leg, baring the mark and words on his skin proudly to the man who had put them there. He straightened up to see the shift in Qrow’s expression. Watched as stunned disbelief and hope started to creep in. Tai and James thankfully followed his lead, each of them bearing the brand Qrow had burned onto them. They took it a step further and showed him all of the marks they made on each other. By the time all of them had been seen, Qrow’s stance had finally eased, his eyes closed, though he was still hiding their emblems from them. 

Tai edged closer and took one elbow in his hand, gently pulling to prompt the other into showing the marks he wore. Qrow’s eyes blinked open, clouded by confusion for just a moment before he realized what was being asked of him. The smallest man ducked his head, hiding his eyes behind his bang as he lifted one leg up, twisting it so that the green clover and horseshoe emblem was visible. The youngest knelt down, curious as to what the words he had burned into Qrow’s skin were. Taking the surprisingly delicate looking ankle in his hand, he lifted the lace out of the way, his thumb brushing over the words and mark. He bit his lip when his actions caused Qrow to shiver, recalling the moment in the truck he’d said those eternal words. Thinking that the surprised eyes looking at him over the crate was because of something else, not because he'd been marked. Yellow caught his eyes and he released Qrow’s ankle to grip his hip, turning him to Tai.

Tai pulled the band of the lace pants back to get a clear look at his emblem and the words Qrow carried. _Of all the things I’ve said…_ Tai offered a silent apology as he touched his mark, stepping back from wide eyes so James could get closer. He wondered if the memory of his branding bothered Qrow, if that was part of the reason he’d spent so much time avoiding them. The idea that Qrow had been carrying his mark for over a year and he’d never known… James stepped back, his expression clouded as their eyes met. Tai could see the same regret in those deep blue eyes as what he held as the tall man traced his brand one last time. He wondered what had happened when he'd said whatever words Qrow wore over his heart. The General took Qrow’s hand in his own and led him to the living room. 

“Have a seat. There are some things we need to discuss…” James continued to the kitchen and Tai followed to help, both needing a moment to process what they'd learned. They would make things right. It would just take a little time.

~

Tai slid the cup across the counter when James shuffled into the kitchen, brow furrowed with what he was willing to bet was the memory of branding Qrow. “How long ago?” He asked, cracking eggs to make omelettes for their breakfast. 

“The Vytal Festival at Beacon. You?”

“When Ruby woke after the Fall.”

“So… Over a year for both of us…” James sighed heavily, rubbing at his temple. “I can’t even wonder why he never said anything… Not with the words I marked him with…”

“Yea… Wasn’t exactly the best time for my brand either.” Tai paused his motions, recalling how angry he’d been at the time that Qrow was essentially kicking out of his daughter’s room after weeks of her being comatose. The blond shook it off, choosing instead to try to recall what Qrow liked to eat most for breakfast. “Could you start some cinnamon-toast? If I remember right, Qrow loves it…” Though he couldn’t be too sure. Qrow rarely ate as much as he should but Tai could remember him eating four pieces and calling it a meal before. 

“Of course… Anything else you need me to make?” James set down his half-empty cup and dug out the ingredients he needed, grateful to have something to do. He was glad Tai knew Qrow’s favorites so well, it had come in useful last night for dinner and he was sure it would be useful in the future.

"No... I got the rest..." Tai bit his lip, debating if he wanted to open up this topic but knowing they both needed to talk about it. "It was just after Ruby woke up. He wanted to talk to her alone. Tell her things he didn't think I ever would be ready to say. I hadn't even realized I marked him. He didn't react at all that I can remember..."

"I marked him when I stopped his fight with Winter... I demanded to know what he was doing there. Even though the answer should have been obvious." James sighed deeply, wishing from the bottom of his soul that he could change the words to something else. Something more welcoming. How long had Qrow dreaded his brand, knowing what words would forever stain his pale skin? A heavy hand fell on his right shoulder, causing him to look over. Understanding sky blue stared back at him and James wondered what Tai would have changed about what happened. It didn't matter in the end, of course. The past was the past and all they could do was try to build a better future.

~

Clover curled around the slender form a bit tighter as he woke, subconsciously trying to make up for the loss of body heat that came with two of their bedmates missing. There were a few more extra quilts piled on them than what had been on the bed the night before and he was willing to bet one of the two older men had placed them there. He recalled one of them mentioning that Qrow didn’t like the cold and burrowed in blankets when he slept. He tucked Qrow under him a little more, keeping the other warm while he slept. He didn't need to wonder where the others had gone to. He could hear the quiet sounds of them making breakfast, familiar because the three of them had been sharing this bed while they sought Qrow's attention long enough to tell him about their soulbrands.

The was a soft noise of confusion from below him. Teal eyes sought out the only possible source and found pale red eyes staring bewilderedly at his bare chest. He couldn't help the quiet chuckle, drawing those bleary eyes up to his face. Qrow gave him an adorably grumpy pout that did nothing more than cause Clover to laugh a little harder. Huffing, Qrow squirmed, trying to get free of strong arms and numerous covers. Still smiling, Clover scooped the sleepy hunter up, blankets and all, and carried him out to the living room to place him in the hanging chair that James had bought and installed purely for Qrow (and his bird tendencies) so he would have a comfortable place to curl up in the living room. Clover wasn't sure if the flustered blush was because of him carrying the older hunter or if it was because he realized the hanging chair was there specifically for him, but either way it drew him down to place a gentle kiss to a burning cheek before he turned to join the other two in the kitchen. 

Qrow watched the broad back disappear through the doorway, one hand lifting to rest on the spot Clover had kissed. He still wasn't used to the small, casual affections the three other men shared so freely with each other and with him. He perked up curiously when Tai came in with two plates, offering one to him with a familiar caring smile. That, at least, Qrow knew. This was hardly the first time the blond had given him that smile, though he'd never understood the full depth of feeling hidden behind it. It also explained why the taller man had always been so hellbent on feeding him... Qrow couldnt stop the little laugh that left him when he saw what was on his plate. A small omelette and a couple pieces of bacon with two hashbrowns and three pieces of his favorite toast. More than he'd probably eat but he picked up a piece of toast without hestitating. James followed behind Tai with four glasses of some red juice and Clover carried his and James' plates. One of the glasses was set next to him, while the other two settled in to eat. Smiling around his food, Qrow allowed himself to feel safe and wanted, tucked safely into his new little spot and surrounded by his soulmates.

There would be talking, one the food was gone, he was sure of it. But he cautiously allowed himself the belief that everything would work out. They could make a life together because they would work for it. He just had to let them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be more to this series! (with other soulmates) And more to do with these boys but for now... They can have a bit of peace...

**Author's Note:**

> Was trying to do it all in one chapter but Google Docs keeps acting up on me...


End file.
